I’m super excited to be participating in the Riley Blake DesignsWonderland Two Blog Tour today. Melissa Mortenson from the Polka Dot Chair is as sweet as her adorable bunny fabric!! I can’t even begin to say how much I love this fabric line!!

I wanted to make a little something that used most of the fabrics and showed off the bunnies!!

Today I’m sharing my latest pattern for this fun spring wallhanging. There is just something about hanging a new quilt that makes your house feel all happy!!

This quilt measures 40″ square and is perfect for hanging, placing on a table or couch. I used my Sizzix dies for all the triangles and the bunny appliqué! You can download the pattern by clicking HERE.

Here’s what you need to get started: (All fabrics from The Rose Collection by Anna Griffin).

Fabric Requirements

½ yard solid white

½ yard white floral

1 yard black floral for blocks and rabbits

¼ yard green floral

¼ yard pink print

½ yard floral stripe (border)

½ yard pink print (binding)

1 yard backing

45” square batting

Heat n Bond Lite fusible applique

Sizzix Bunny Die

Sizzix 6 ½” Hourglass die

Sizzix 3 ½” Half Square Triangle Die

I die cut all the triangles with the Sizzix dies. It saves on fabric and makes for fast and easy piecing!!

I love how it brightens up my living room! I’m all ready for spring now!

Today, on the Sizzix blog, I am sharing one of my favorite little projects to sew: Kitchen Towels! Hop on over there for the full tutorial!

Kitchens usually don’t have a lot of wall space or places to hang quilts or cute crafty projects. I love hanging home made towels on my oven, it gives the kitchen that cozy feeling! Theses sweet towels also make the perfect gift! Who wouldn’t want one of these! I choose some of my favorite Riley Blake Fabric Prints from some of my favorite designers.

I am also using my most favorite Sizzix Bunny Die (I’m sure I’ve said that many times!!) I love using my Sizzix Fabi to cut these bunnies! It’s so fast and easy!

And you can die cut several at one time!

I could cut these bunnies out all day long! They are so much fun and oh so cute when they are leaping all over!

I used my ruffling foot to sew the ruffle – this is also a time saver!

I used Heat n Bond Lite to fuse the bunny. I also used my new Oliso Pro iron. It’s a dream!!!

I love how sweet they are with the soft colors!

I want to keep them all for myself!! I love that these colors are perfect Pyrex colors! I might just have a slight Pyrex obsession!!

I I have a hard time keeping secrets! Especially since August 2014! My quilted bunny placemats and reversible bunny napkins are in the April/May 2015 issue of Sew News! I still giggle a little when I see my name in print. I am very grateful to Sew News for liking my pattern ideas 🙂 The fabrics I choose are from the Grace line from Blend. They scream Spring to me!!!

Mufasa thinks they make a nice new napping spot for him!

I love the texture the quilting gives the placemats. The added lace and the pieced floral fabrics makes it seem a little vintage!

I love the addition of this ecru lace trim to the napkins. I also love that they are reversible – no exposed seams! If you like this project, pick up copy of Sew News and read all about it!

I love this towel yardage – it’s hemmed along the sides. All you have to do is cut the desired length and add hems to the ends. It comes in many colors and patterns. You could totally use a white tea towel, or other kitchen towel! I cut mine at about 3/4 yard long,

Iron the Heat n Bond Lite to the back of the fabric. Run it through the Big Shot – or hand cut the shape. Peel off the backing paper. Using spray n bond (or pins) position the lace and the ric rac. I run the edges of my ric rac through a flame to seal the edges. Tuck the ends in or around the back of the towel. Stitch in place. Iron the bunny into place and top stitch 2 times around it.And it’s done! I want to make a stack of them! Wouldn’t they make cute Easter gifts! I better get sewing!!

I LOVE spring bunny projects. I have had so much fun making these cute little critters!

The pattern is from the very talented Jennifer Jangles. Her pattern is available to download from her website. The instructions are very clear and it’s an easy project to put together. All the fabrics are from Blend Fabrics. With so many fun patterns to choose from, I mixed and matched their fabric lines to come up with some fun combinations.

I went a little crazy and made 10 of them!!

Instead of hand stitching the nose and mouth, I used the sewing machine. The nose, heart, and inner ears are all appliquéd with Heat n Bond Lite. I used black thread and outlined stitched the appliqué pieces 2 to 3 times each. The black really helps the fabrics pop.

Baby Mufasa is always helping with the sewing projects. I was thinking I might fill one of the bunnies with some catnip 🙂

Once you make one, I bet you have to make more and more! They each have unique personalities!

This is the same lesson we do every year the night before Easter – the children look forward to it every year. Resurrection EggsIf you haven’t had a chance to do this with your family, the night before Easter is a great time. Preparation: you need 12 plastic eggs. Number them 1 through 12. Below I have the number and corresponding items and scriptures. (you could also place a little treat in each one.) Place them inside the eggs. Hide the 12 eggs.

Have the children find the 12 eggs. Open the egg and read each scripture beginning with egg #1. This will take you through the Easter story. There are pictures to go with just about every scripture. Click HERE for the pictures. The scriptures began with Christ’s entry into Jerusalem.

Activity For the past 16 years it is a tradition in our family to make “Resurrection Rolls.” I didn’t come up with this recipe – it’s one of those things that gets passed around. I am still amazed how everyone marvels at how the marshmallow disappears! Click here for instructions.

I hope your family enjoys making these. This is my children’s favorite part of Easter. We look forward to making these every year. AND they are super delicious!!!

We also love to dye Easter Eggs. Nothing fancy, nothing I’m going to “pin” – just good old fashioned eggs and dye! It never gets old. This is a good time to talk about the symbols of Easter. Sometimes its hard for children to know what eggs and bunnies have to do with Easter. While you are dying your eggs, you can have a little review:

Easter Bunny

There are many different theories…..Spring celebrates new life as did Jesus’ resurrection. Rabbits are one of the many animals born in the spring and they also have lots of offspring during this time of year. The rabbit burrows deep under ground and when he emerges from his burrow, it can represent Jesus leaving the tomb.

Eggs

In many cultures eggs are the symbol of life and Jesus gave everyone Eternal Life through His Atonement and Resurrection. Eggs were died Red in memory of Christ’s blood, eggs are rolled symbolic of the stone being rolled from the tomb,

Lamb

This comes from the Jewish Passover where a lamb was sacrificed in each family. Christ became the Passover Lamb for everyone and so the lamb became a symbol for His sacrifice.

New Clothes

This is a symbol of a new beginning.

We are having fun this year with all our cousins and Gramma and Papa here!

Handout:

I love this nest image from the Graphics Fairy. I thought this would be nice to include in our journals and write what the nest and eggs represent.

Journal

Summarize the events that took place and the scriptures you read. Which one stood out to you? How do you feel knowing Jesus died for you and suffered all things for you that you may have eternal life?

Thank you so much for joining me on this 14 day journey. I hope you have been able to do a few of these lessons with your family and find yourself drawing closer to Christ. Life gets pretty crazy, we missed a few days here and there, and we are looking forward to having the lessons for Family Home Evening. Happy Easter and may God Bless 🙂

Hi! It’s Melanie from LDS Handouts. I started my blog so I could share my handouts I was making for Young Women with others. Since then, it has expanded to a whole bunch of different free handouts. I live in Idaho with my awesome husband and 4 children, ages 11, 8, 5, and 2. I’m excited to share another lesson with you!!Jesus Christ, My Savior

Attention activity: Spread the letters around the room and have your family find them and spell out the word Savior. Ask them what a Savior is and why we might need someone to save us. (Handouts are 4×6 inches)

Lesson: We needed a Savior because Heavenly Father knew that when we came to Earth we would sin. When we sin and don’t repent, we cannot live with Heavenly Father again. We needed someone to save us so we can live with Heavenly Father again. Jesus volunteered to be our Savior and come to Earth and teach us, atone for our sins, and be crucified so we can live with Heavenly Father again.

Cut this picture into puzzle pieces. (Picture is 8×10 inches)

On each piece, write a way that Jesus helped save us. These can include:He went through the Atonement and saved us from our sins.He was crucified and died to save us from death.He taught us about the Sacrament.He was a perfect example.He taught us to be kind.He taught us to serve.He taught us to repent.He taught us to forgive.

Put the puzzle together and talk about each way Jesus saves us.

Handout:Print this handout to add to your journal or hang up.

For another fun activity, write your testimonies down and bury in a bag or seal in an envelop and open again next Easter.

Hi! I’m Melanie from LDS Handouts. I’m super excited to take part in the event. I started my blog so I could share my handouts I was making for Young Women with others. Since then, it has expanded to a whole bunch of different free handouts. I live in Idaho with my awesome husband and 4 children, ages 11, 8, 5, and 2.

I picked The Parable of the Sower because I love parables!! I love the way Jesus taught-by using things that were familiar to the people of the time. I have taken this parable and presented it in a way that I would do it for my family. Enjoy!

The Parable of the Sower

Attention Activity: Scripture: Read the Parable of the Sower found in Luke 8: 4-15Lesson: To reinforce the parable and the meanings, play memory with the cards provided. Match the object with the meaning.Print out these cards and cut them in half (Card size is 4×6)

Activity: Plant seeds together. Talk about what you need to get a seed to grow in good soil. Talk about how we can make that soil good. Elder Faust gave an awesome talk entitled “Of Seeds and Soil” that shares ways we can make our soil good for our seeds to grow. You can tape this handout to each cup.

Refreshments: Make “dirt cups” by following this recipe from Kraft.

Resources:Parable of the Sower coloring pages:http://www.theclipartwizard.com/sower-coloring-pages.htm

Kids activities and lesson for the Parable of the Sower:http://kidsbibledebjackson.blogspot.com/2012/08/parable-of-sower.html